HORSE DISEASE MYSTERY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3153, 3 August 1917, Page 8

HORSE DISEASE MYSTERY

The French authorities are much exercised over a mysterious disease to Trhich horses are falling victims. Bather more than .» year ago horse dealers.in tho south of France reported a grave situation caused by considerable arid increasing mortality among horses forwarded to other regions. The proportion of animals affected attained at times GO and even 70 per cent. The commotion caused by the losses was not lessened by the fact that ia' almostcverv case, although the horses were apparently in good condition on arrival at their destination, tliey' had hardly reached tho stable when they showed suoh alarming symptoms that it was useless to attempt to savo them. Eleven horses from the Orno, the Euro, and Eure-et-Loire arrived at Le Mans at 3 p.m. one.day, and from there were sent on to Albi, which they reached 17 hours later. They were immediately taken to a stable. "Two days later one of the animals foil ill at about 3 a.m. 'At 9 a.m. seven we're dead or dying. In •Finistero it lias frequently happened that of U horses sent from ono point to another by train seven, or eight havo died en route or soon after their, arrival, the illness lasting not more than threo or four hours. Veterinary surgeons and horse dealers, are at a loss to explain these suspicious fatalities, which began after the declaration of jvar in 1314.